Find places in Maldives

Must-Haves

• Malé Hukuru Miskiy (Old Friday Mosque area)
  A seventeenth century mosque carved from coral stone, the finest example of traditional Maldivian craft.
• Grand Friday Mosque (Islamic Centre)
  The golden domed mosque that dominates the skyline, open to respectful visitors outside prayer times.
• National Museum (Sultan Park)
  Royal thrones, Buddhist era coral carvings and old lacquerwork that tell the story of the islands.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mulee Aage (Medhuziyaaraiy Magu)
  A colonial era palace built for a sultan’s heir, now the President’s Office, worth seeing from outside.
• Medhu Ziyaaraiy (Medhuziyaaraiy Magu)
  The shrine of Abu al Barakat, credited with bringing Islam to the Maldives in the twelfth century.

Fun for Everyone

• Sultan Park (Medhuziyaaraiy Magu)
  A shady garden on the old palace grounds, a cool green pause in a crowded city.
• Artificial Beach (Boduthakurufaanu Magu)
  The city beach where families swim and gather on evenings and holidays.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Villimalé (Vilimalé island)
  A short ferry hop to a green, quiet island with a beach and a coastal walking path.

Off the Beaten Path

• Rasfannu Beach (Western Malé)
  A newer city beach for evening swims and sunset walks along the reclaimed shore.

Must-Haves

• HP Reef (North Malé Atoll)
  A protected reef of soft corals and pinnacles, also called Rainbow Reef.

Must-Haves

• Malé Local Market (North Harbour)
  Stalls of coconuts, betel, smoked tuna and chilli where islanders stock up before the boat home.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Malé Fish Market (North Harbour)
  Watch the afternoon catch of tuna come off the dhonis and get cut on tiled tables.

Fun for Everyone

• Majeedhee Magu (Central Malé)
  The main shopping street for clothes, electronics and everyday island life.

Fun for Everyone

• Jumhooree Maidhaan (Republic Square)
  The waterfront square with the giant national flag, the heart of national celebrations.
• Sinamalé Bridge (Malé to Hulhulé)
  Walk or ride across the bridge to Hulhumalé for wide views over the lagoon.

Off the Beaten Path

• Raalhugandu Surf Point (Southeast corner of Malé)
  Watch local surfers ride a reef break right beside the city streets.

Must-Haves

• Banana Reef (North Malé Atoll)
  One of the first dive sites opened in the Maldives, with caves, overhangs and reef fish.

Must-Haves

• Seagull Café House (Chandhanee Magu)
  A long standing garden café known for its ice cream and relaxed tables.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Shell Beans (Malé)
  A local café chain for good coffee, pastries and short eats.

Great for Date Night

• Sala Thai (Ameer Ahmed Magu)
  Good Thai cooking in a calm, lantern lit room, a favourite for an evening out in Malé.

Fun for Everyone

• The Sea House (Boduthakurufaanu Magu)
  A busy harbourside restaurant with views of boats coming and going from the jetty.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hotaa tea shops (Marine Drive)
  Small local tea shops serving hedhikaa short eats, mas huni and sweet black tea.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Jen Malé (Malé)
  A reliable city hotel with a rooftop pool, handy for a first or last night.

Must-Haves

• Independence Day celebrations (Republic Square)
  Parades, music and fireworks every 26 July for the anniversary of independence.

Fun for Everyone

• Eid celebrations (Across Malé)
  Families in their best clothes, special food and bodu beru drumming at the end of Ramadan.

Must-Haves

• Hulhumalé Beach (Eastern shore)
  A long white sand beach where you can swim the night you land.

Fun for Everyone

• Hulhumalé Central Park (Central Hulhumalé)
  A green park with play areas where families gather in the cool of the evening.

Must-Haves

• Hulhumalé Island Hotel (Hulhumalé)
  A comfortable hotel close to the airport, ideal for late arrivals and early flights.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hulhumalé beachfront guesthouses (Nirolhu Magu)
  Simple guesthouses facing the beach for an easy overnight on a budget.

Great for Date Night

• Beach front restaurants (Nirolhu Magu)
  A strip of casual restaurants with tables looking over the lagoon at sunset.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Local cafés (Central Hulhumalé)
  Neighbourhood cafés serving short eats and coffee for residents and transit travellers.

Fun for Everyone

• Evening beach walk (Eastern shore)
  With no bars on local islands, evenings here mean mocktails, sea breezes and families on the sand.

Off the Beaten Path

• Planes over the lagoon (Near Velana airport)
  Watch seaplanes take off from the lagoon beside the airport island.

Must-Haves

• Bikini Beach Maafushi (Maafushi)
  The tourist beach where swimwear is allowed, with loungers and calm water.

Off the Beaten Path

• Guraidhoo (South Malé Atoll)
  A quieter neighbouring island with a surf break and lovely snorkelling.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Gulhi (South Malé Atoll)
  A small local island with a calm beach and a relaxed village pace.

Must-Haves

• Sandbank trips (Around Maafushi)
  Half day boat trips to a bare strip of white sand in the lagoon.

Fun for Everyone

• Snorkelling excursions (South Malé Atoll)
  Group boat trips to see turtles, rays and nurse sharks on nearby reefs.

Must-Haves

• Kaani Beach Hotel (Maafushi)
  One of the island’s best known guesthouse hotels, right on the bikini beach.

Fun for Everyone

• Arena Beach Hotel (Maafushi)
  A beachfront guesthouse hotel with a pool, popular with first timers.
• Olhuveli Beach and Spa (South Malé Atoll)
  A resort with a wide lagoon and lots of watersports, good for families.

Great for Date Night

• Anantara Dhigu (South Malé Atoll)
  A well known resort with overwater villas on a lagoon shared with its sister islands.
• COMO Cocoa Island (South Malé Atoll)
  A small, quiet resort with villas built in the style of dhoni boats.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Local island restaurants (Maafushi)
  Grilled reef fish, curries and fried noodles at simple eateries around the harbour.

Fun for Everyone

• Beach cafés (Maafushi)
  Fresh juices and iced coffee by the bikini beach.

Off the Beaten Path

• Maafushi island village (Maafushi)
  Walk the sandy lanes past the school, mosque and boatyards of a working island.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Souvenir shops (Maafushi)
  Small shops for sarongs, wooden dhonis and reef safe sunscreen.

Great for Date Night

• Ithaa Undersea Restaurant (Conrad Maldives Rangali Island)
  A glass walled restaurant five metres under the sea, with fish swimming overhead.

Great for Date Night

• Conrad Maldives Rangali Island (South Ari Atoll)
  A large resort across two islands with the famous undersea restaurant and villa.
• LUX South Ari Atoll (South Ari Atoll)
  A lively resort on a long island close to whale shark waters.

Must-Haves

• Mirihi Island Resort (South Ari Atoll)
  A small, barefoot resort with an excellent house reef.

Fun for Everyone

• Lily Beach Resort (South Ari Atoll)
  An all inclusive resort with a strong house reef, easy for families.
• Kuramathi Maldives (Rasdhoo Atoll)
  A large island with a long sandbank, several restaurants and lots of activities.

Must-Haves

• South Ari Marine Protected Area (South Ari Atoll)
  One of the few places in the world to snorkel with whale sharks all year round.
• Rasdhoo Madivaru (Rasdhoo Atoll)
  A channel dive famous for early morning hammerhead sightings.
• Fish Head (North Ari Atoll)
  A classic thila dive with grey reef sharks and huge schools of fusiliers.

Off the Beaten Path

• Dhigurah (South Ari Atoll)
  A long, thin local island with a beautiful beach and quick access to whale shark waters.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Ukulhas (North Ari Atoll)
  A clean, eco minded local island with a long bikini beach and guesthouses.

Off the Beaten Path

• Fenfushi Old Mosque (Fenfushi)
  A coral stone mosque with fine carving on a quiet island known for coral cutters.

Great for Date Night

• Resort sunset bars (Ari Atoll)
  Watching the sun drop into the lagoon with a cocktail is a resort ritual.

Must-Haves

• Hanifaru Bay (Baa Atoll)
  A protected bay where mantas and whale sharks gather to feed in the southwest monsoon.
• Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (Baa Atoll)
  An atoll recognised for its reefs, mangroves and careful balance of tourism and fishing.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Dharavandhoo (Baa Atoll)
  The local island with guesthouses closest to Hanifaru Bay, served by a domestic airport.

Off the Beaten Path

• Goidhoo (Baa Atoll)
  A large local island with mangroves and a quiet lagoon in a separate ring of reef.

Great for Date Night

• Soneva Fushi (Kunfunadhoo)
  A barefoot luxury resort with an observatory, a cinema under the stars and a big jungle island.
• Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas (Kihavah Huravalhi)
  A villa resort with an overwater observatory and the undersea restaurant.

Must-Haves

• Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru (Landaa Giraavaru)
  A resort known for its marine discovery centre and manta research.

Fun for Everyone

• Dusit Thani Maldives (Mudhdhoo)
  A resort with a wide house reef and good kids club.
• Amilla Maldives (Baa Atoll)
  A resort with a relaxed, family friendly style and its own fresh produce.

Great for Date Night

• SEA at Anantara Kihavah (Kihavah Huravalhi)
  An undersea restaurant with a famous wine cellar beneath the reef.

Off the Beaten Path

• Thulhaadhoo lacquerwork (Thulhaadhoo)
  The island where craftspeople still make the traditional lacquered boxes and vases.

Must-Haves

• Manta season (Hanifaru Bay)
  Mantas gather here mainly from June to November, with daily access rules.

Fun for Everyone

• Manta snorkel trips (Dharavandhoo)
  Ranger led trips into Hanifaru Bay from nearby islands and resorts.

Great for Date Night

• Overwater resort bars (Baa Atoll)
  Most resorts here have a bar over the lagoon for sunset drinks.

Must-Haves

• Gan RAF heritage (Gan)
  Old buildings, runways and memorials from the island’s years as a British air base.
• Gan War Memorial (Gan)
  A memorial to the servicemen who served on the base during the Second World War and after.

Off the Beaten Path

• Koagannu cemetery (Meedhoo)
  One of the oldest Islamic cemeteries in the country, with carved coral headstones.

Must-Haves

• Equator Village (Gan)
  A resort built from the old RAF barracks, with palms and a big pool.

Great for Date Night

• Canareef Resort Maldives (Herathera)
  A long island resort on the outer reef of the atoll.

Off the Beaten Path

• Eedhigali Kilhi (Hithadhoo)
  A protected wetland of ponds and mangroves with birds and a walking trail.
• Hulhumeedhoo (Addu Atoll)
  A green island of village lanes, beaches and a large lake.

Fun for Everyone

• Addu Nature Park (Hithadhoo)
  Boardwalks, a viewing tower and wetlands on the northern tip of Hithadhoo.

Must-Haves

• British Loyalty wreck (Addu lagoon)
  A wartime oil tanker wreck now covered in coral, the most famous dive in the atoll.

Fun for Everyone

• Link Road cycle (Feydhoo to Hithadhoo)
  Ride the causeway that connects the islands, with the ocean on one side and the lagoon on the other.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hithadhoo local cafés (Hithadhoo)
  Short eats and tuna curries in the second city of the Maldives.